How to Appear Confident when in a Fight

Co-authored by Asher Smiley

Last Updated: January 25, 2023 Approved

Although it's never a good idea to fight, whether physical or verbal, sometimes a fight is unavoidable. You may need to defend yourself in a dangerous situation. During a fight, you will want to appear confident. Looking flustered or nervous could make your opponent see you as weak, causing them to try to harm you more. During a fight, strive to use confident body language to show you will not be intimidated. While fighting, only use defensive moves. This will show your opponent you cannot be egged on. In the future, make every effort to avoid fights. You can get injured in a fight and, if you injure another person, there can be serious legal consequences. Look into ways to diffuse a situation rather than getting dragged into a fight.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Confident Body Language

1
Be aware of your facial muscles. Your face can reveal a lot about your feelings, and it's easy to look nervous during a tense situation. Pay attention to the muscles on your face and, if you feel them tensing up, make an effort to relax them. You want to avoid looking scared in a fight, as this can egg your aggressor on.^{[1]
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- Pay attention to your forehead. If you notice your eyebrows creeping up during a grimace, try to lower them.
- Focus on your facial muscles. If you feel your face twitching at all, this can come off as nervous. Work on relaxing your face, keeping the muscles still.
2
Watch your upper body. How you hold your body can convey confidence or fear. Avoid slouching or crouching downward, as this looks like a sign of defeat or fear. Stand tall throughout a fight to show you will not be intimidated.^{[2]
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- Make sure your back is straight and watch your shoulders. They may lurch forward when you're nervous. You want them to be behind your back.
- Don't cross your arms at any point. This is a defensive motion and will make you appear vulnerable.
- Keep your fists by your face so that you can easily block any attacks. Your arms will protect your neck and chest.
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3
Adopt a boxer stance. This will not only make you appear confident, it will help you keep your balance when fighting. Falling during a fight can cause serious injury, so keep yourself in the boxer stance throughout the fight.^{[3]
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- Bend your knees, keeping one leg forward slightly.
- Spread your feet out until your feet are roughly the same width as your shoulders.
4
Maintain some degree of eye contact. Eye contact can convey confidence. However, you want to be watching your opponent's movements as well. Make eye contact throughout the fight when you have a dull moment to show your opponent you are not afraid.^{[4]
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- Keep your fists in front of your face, just below the eyes. This will place them close enough that you can quickly block any attacks aimed at them.^{[5]
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- You don't want to keep your fists right in front of your eyes as this can obscure your vision. You still need a clear view.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Fighting With Confidence

1
Respond without reacting. If you become reactionary in a fight, this can escalate the situation. It can make you the aggressor. This can make you look out of control and emotional, which can make you look weak in your opponent's eyes. Only respond to what your opponent does. Do not react.
- Pause before you react to something your opponent does. For example, if they insult you, don't give in to your emotions and charge at them. Stand your ground.
2
Fight defensively only. If you attack your opponent when he is down, you can seriously injure him or her. This could result in potential legal trouble. The only time you should fight is to defend yourself.
- Seek only to deflect your opponents moves. Use your hands to block punches and kicks.
- Do not do things like punch, kick, or otherwise lash out at your opponent. Seek only to push your opponent off of you to avoid injury.
3
Protect vulnerable areas. You want to make sure you are protected. If you're hurt in a vulnerable area, you may flinch or cry out in pain. This can break your confidence, and could even result in you becoming physically injured.^{[6]
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- Block any attacks aimed at the eyes, ears, nose, neck throat, genitals, or knees. Getting hurt these areas can cause serious injury and lead you to lose.
- Always keep your arms up in a fighting stance. Your fists will protect your face while your arms will keep your neck and chest safe.
- Watch your opponent's moves closely. Try to predict where he or she will strike and be ready to protect yourself as necessary.
4
Keep your tone of voice confident. Your tone of voice can also portray confidence. You do not want to sound scared, intimidated, or hysterical, so pay attention to your tone of voice if you speak during the fight.^{[7]
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- Keep an even tone if you need to talk. Do not talk too slowly or too softly.
- Avoid nervous words like "um."
- Talk in a clear tone. Mumbling can make you sound nervous.
5
Try to remain calm. Strong emotions like panic can make you appear nervous. If you start to get nervous, you will display body language and a tone of voice that conveys fear. It can be very difficult to stay calm in a fight, but it's important to remain calm if you want to appear confident.^{[8]
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- If at all possible, take a deep breath. This can calm you down. However, when fighting, it may simply not be an option.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Avoiding Dangerous Situations

1
Avoid fighting unless it's necessary for self defense. You should never seek out someone to fight, or attack someone who is picking on you as a form of intimidation. Fighting is dangerous. Seeking out a fight is always a bad idea.
- An aggressor could have a weapon. You never know if someone is carrying a knife or another sharp object, so it's best not to risk it by picking a fight.
- If you push someone into fighting, they could come back later with friends to target you. You do not want to start a cycle of violence.
- If you need to fight to defend yourself, do so, but remember this is the only time you should fight. Fighting is only justified when it's the only way for you to escape injury.
2
Stay away from dangerous areas where fights are likely to occur. If you're worried about fighting because someone is targeting you, be proactive. Stay away from areas where you feel fighting may occur. Stay in well lit, open areas where there is a lot of supervision.
- It's a good idea to travel in groups, especially if someone is threatening you with aggression.
- If you're at school, avoid areas where bullies congregate. You may be more likely to get jumped in these areas.
3
Contact the police if necessary. If someone is threatening you with physical violence, contact the police. Fighting can have legal consequences for you if you hurt someone, and you can also suffer serious injury. If you are being threatened with violence, report it to the police. The police can help diffuse the situation before violence becomes necessary.
- Never be afraid to call the police. They are there to help you. Sometimes, just the act of calling them may be enough to diffuse the situation.
- Even if the assailant calms down, it might still be a good idea to have an officer near by in case it was just an act and he tries to attack you again.
4
Enroll in a self defense class. If you've been the target of bullies before, self defense can help. See if you can find a local community center that offers self defense training. You could also try something like karate. A self defense course can teach you safe ways to defend yourself in a fight, and how to avoid injury.
- Not every form of self defense will be right for you. Some forms are more practical whiles others aren't. Similarly, some are more defensive while others are offensive.
- Before you enroll in the class, ask the instructor if you can sit and watch a class or two before you make your decision.

Expert Q&A
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Question

Is it normal to feel fear before a fight?

Asher Smiley
Self Defense Trainer
Asher Smiley is the Owner and Lead Instructor at Krav Maga Revolution in Petaluma, California. Asher has earned a Tier 1 Instructor Certification in the American Krav Maga system. In 2017, he trained with the International Kapap Federation Combat Krav Maga International, completing their 7 day tactical seminar and the 8 day CKMI instructor course.

Asher Smiley

Self Defense Trainer

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Yes, but by displaying confidence you can potentially prevent the fight altogether. Look the person in the eyes as soon as you feel like there's a threat. Showing that you're not scared of making eye contact can end the confrontation before it begins.

Warnings

Fighting has legal consequences. You could get in trouble for something like assault or disturbing the peace. For this reason, it's always best to avoid a fight if at all possible. Only fight when it's necessary for self defense and, even then, only fight to the point of neutralizing your opponent. If you injure someone seriously, you could face criminal charges.

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